USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and its centennial celebration, Volume I > Part 52
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In April, 1882, the Beaver Falls Index was published by W. S. Fulkman, who also published the Spray of the Falls in 1887 and 1888, both long since discontinued.
In 1882 the Beaver Falls Independent was published by W. F. Hanrahan and Frank A. Lewis, who were succeeded by W. W. Shields, and soon after the paper was discontinued.
The Globe Advertiser
A monthly paper, was published from 1875 to 1879 by the Globe Printing Company. Later it was changed to a weekly
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History of Beaver County
and published by W. C. Fessenden and John Rohm. Others connected with it from time to time were Ed. Hutchinson, G. W. Penn, and John A. Mellon. A morning edition of the paper, called the Herald, was started by the Globe, but soon succumbed. Mr. Mellon later secured control of the Weekly Globe and con- solidated it with the Beaver Star in 1887.
The Review
In June, 1888, J. E. McClure and J. W. Carson formed a com- pany and started the Beaver Falls Evening Fournal. During the same year George Warrington began the publication of a monthly paper named the Psalm Singer. In 1889 Mr. Warrington and L. L. Carson became owners of the fournal, and, in addition to the daily, began the publication of a weekly edition, of which Mr. Warrington became the sole owner in 1890, conducting it until 1892, when it passed into the hands of J. H. Irons and Smith Curtis. In 1894 J. W. Carson and the Broadbent brothers purchased J. H. Irons's interest, and the daily edition was dis- continued. In 1895 L. L. Carson started the Daily Recorder in the Fournal plant, but it, too, proved unsuccessful and passed out of existence. In the spring of 1896 a company of New Castle newspaper men bought out the plant and started the Daily Republican, which was discontinued in September of the same year. J. W. Carson purchased the good-will of the paper and continued the weekly edition, which was changed in name to the Review in 1897. It has been successful and continues under J. W. Carson's management.
CHAPTER XIV
MILITARY HISTORY
Connection of Beaver County with the Revolution -Revolutionary Veterans and Pensioners - War of 1812 - Patriotic Proceedings - Roster of Troops - Mexican War - The Alamo - Causes and Commencement of Hostilities - Enlistments - War of the Re- bellion - Introductory Remarks - Patriotic Mass Meetings - Citizens' Committees Appointed - Home Guards - List of Com- missioned Officers - Sketches of Regiments in which Beaver County was Represented - Beaver County Men in the U. S. Naval Service - Rosters of Troops in the War of the Rebellion.
Then marched the brave from rocky steep, From mountain river swift and cold; The borders of the stormy deep, The vales where gathered waters sleep, Sent up the strong and bold,-
As if the very earth again Grew quick with God's creating breath, And, from the sods of grove and glen, Rose ranks of lion-hearted men To battle to the death.
BRYANT, Seventy-six.
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION
WE have seen in the preceding chapters how closely Beaver County was identified with the early military history of west- ern Pennsylvania. At the time of the Revolutionary War her population was too small to enable her to contribute volunteers to the Continental forces, but the few settlers who were here,
1 So far as known there is but one exception to this statement. It has recently been brought to our attention that Levi Dungan, who was probably the first settler in what is now Beaver County, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The record of his service is clear. It is found in Egle's Penna. in the War of the Revolution (vol. xiv., page 691 of the second series of the Penna. Arch.). Here is given "A Muster Roll of Captain James
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Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Beaver.
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History of Beaver County
confined then, of course, to the region south of the Ohio River, formed part of the thin line of defense which the frontier fighters threw about the interior of the State. And, as we have also seen, among those who took up and settled her lands as soon as the way for settlement was open, were many Revolutionary veterans. Here and there, throughout the county, they lie beneath the sod, in
those low, green tents, whose curtains never outward swing. I
It would doubtless be impossible at this late date to obtain a complete list of all of the soldiers of the Revolution who later had their homes within the original limits of Beaver County, but the list which follows and which was prepared by the care- ful pen of Major Thomas Henry of New Brighton will show many of their names, viz .:
Arthur Ackles, Big Beaver township; Robert Agnew, Moon; Jeremiah Bannon, North Beaver, died September 7, 1831, aged eighty-four; John Buchanan, Beaver borough; Thomas Beatty, South Beaver, died prior to 1825; George Bruce, Moon; John Beaver, Ohio township; Samuel Bowan, Big Beaver, died May 16, 1838, one hundred years and three months old; Thomas
Wright's company of Youghegenia Meletia, in actual servis for the month of September, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, commanded by Coll. John Stevenson," and Levy Dungan's name is entered, Sept. 14th. In the record of Dungan's marriage in Philadelphia his first name is spelled in the same way, Levy; he himself always wrote it Levi. During the Revolutionary struggle, the Indians becoming especially dangerous to the settlers on the Ohio, Dungan removed his family to a safer position on Chartiers Creek in what is now Washington County, and himself enlisted to fight the British and their Indian allies. He returned to his home on King's Creek about 1799.
1 On the farm of John Ruckert, in New Sewickley township, is a tombstone, with the following inscription:
"In memory of John McKee, who departed this life December 14, 1834, aged 94 years. Emigrated to this, his adopted country, in the year A. D. 1765, was at the destroying of the tea in Boston present at the Declaration of Independence served two years in the Revolu- tionary War and took his share in the glorious struggle of gaining our independence."
In smaller letters beneath the inscription is found: "J. W. Thompson, stonecutter."
Most, if not all, of the old Revolutionary soldiers mentioned above, are buried in the public or private burying grounds of the county. Nathaniel Coburn, who was a fifer, and, as elsewhere stated, was toll-taker at the Brighton bridge, is buried in New Brighton; Lieut. Moore was buried on the Moore farm in Rochester township and in 1903 his ashes were removed to Grove cemetery, New Brighton; Matthias Shanor is buried in the grave- yard of the old stone church in Chippewa township; John Main in the Presbyterian cemetery, and Albert Runyan in the Baptist cemetery at North Sewickley, and Samuel Peirsol in Mt. Pleasant cemetery, Darlington. Buried in the graveyard of the old Mill Creek Presbyterian Church, but with nothing to mark his resting-place, is a man known to the colonial history of Pennsylvania, namely Col. George Stewart, who has many descend- ants in this State and in West Virginia.
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History of Beaver County
Bevington, Ohio township; William Carnagey, Georgetown; William Cassidy, Moon; Daniel Campbell, Little Beaver, died March 4, 1833, eighty-five years old; Nathaniel Coburn, New Sewickley, died April 6, 1844; John Coleman, North Beaver, died August 16, 1847, aged ninety-nine years; Charles Carter, James Chambers, John Crail, Raccoon; Michael Chrisler, Second Moon; James Craig, Thomas Davis, Joseph Douthitt, South Beaver; Zachariah Figley, Moon; Alexander Frew, Shenango; Hugh Gaston, South Beaver; William Grundy, Peter Hines, Sewickley township; William Iddings, Shenango; Joseph John- ston, James Jordan, Hopewell; William Langfitt, Hanover, died August 23, 1831, aged ninety-five; Joseph S. Line, Big Beaver, died August 6, 1847, aged eighty-eight; George Lightner, died February 23, 1842, aged ninety-four; First Lieutenant James Moore, New Sewickley, died January 21, 1833, aged eighty 1; Brice McGeehan, Little Beaver; Sebastian Mershimer, Shenango, died June 3, 1845, aged ninety-nine; Alexander McCurdy, John McGowan, David McCoy, James Purdy, James Reed, died September 17, 1845, aged one hundred, Borough township; Thomas Stratton, Chippewa, died August 30, 1846, aged eighty- eight; John Swick, Perry, died July 13, 1849, aged eighty-seven ; Michael Sadler, died November 6, 1831, aged ninety; David Scott, First Moon; George Shillito, Henry Woods, Robert Wil- son, South Beaver; Charles Willoughby, Hanover; Henry Ulary, Little Beaver.
As supplementing Major Henry's list we give here an inter- esting old letter which was found a few years ago in the wreck of the John Barclay building on Third Street, Beaver, con- taining an official list for the year 1836 of the Revolutionary pensioners of this county. The letter is as follows:
TREASURY OFFICE OF PENN'A, HARRISBURG, May 12, 1836.
To the Treasurer of Beaver County:
SIR :- Agreeably to the Provisions of an Act of Assembly, entitled, "An Act authorizing and directing County Treasurers to pay gratuities and pensions to soldiers and widows of Revolutionary soldiers residing
1 This was Lieutenant James Moore, whose son, Samuel Moore, aged 93, was one of the earliest settlers in Rochester. David Marquis married his daughter, and of his sons were Addison and the late Dr. David S. Marquis of Rochester. Capt. John Moore of Vanport is also a grandson.
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in this Commonwealth," I forward to you a list of persons residing in Beaver County, with the amount due each, and when and how payable.
J. LAWRENCE, State Treasurer.
Agnes Bannon,
William Cassidy,
Thomas Hall,
John Grostcrost, Philip Hoenbaker,
James Reed,
George Swager,
Jacob Van Gorder,
S. Power, Trustee of Sarah Wil- son,
John Partridge,
Mary Williams,
Alexander Long,
John Hoobler,
James Robinson,
Lawrence Kunkle,
Samuel Quigley,
Mary Fisher,
Mary Fisher,
John Turner,
Neal McGing,
James Smith, of Columbi- ana, Co., O.
One of the Revolutionary soldiers who settled in Beaver County, not in either of the previous lists, was Matthias Shanor, who lived in the vicinity of Georgetown, and married Fanny Poe, sister of Andrew and Adam Poe, and settled later on a farm situated on the east branch of Brady's Run in what is now Chippewa township. This farm is now owned by Squire Thomas. Matthias Shanor enlisted in the year 1775 and served first as a private; was in the latter part of the war detailed and put in the commissary department, and was mustered out in the spring of 1783. He was the father of David Shanor, who was born in 1784, served in the War of 1812 and died in 1856; and grandfather of Alva L. Shanor of Brush Creek, this county. Still others of whom we have heard are Albert Runyan, Philip Wylie, and John Main, the latter said to have been one of Wash- ington's body guards. Below will be seen also the name of Stanton Sholes, who came to this county, and had in his early youth served in the Revolutionary War.
THE WAR OF 1812
In the War of 1812 Beaver County was able to lend a more active support to the cause of the nation. Her Representative in Congress during this period of gloom and despondency, Gen- eral Abner Lacock, had been elected as a "war candidate," and in his place there he took a bold stand for war measures, and stood firmly by the Democratic administration of James Madi- son in the noble effort to sustain the honor of the Republic
Henry Woods,
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against the aggressions of Great Britain.1 And the people of the county were prompt in responding to the call to arms.2
The readiness and enthusiasm of their action will be seen from the following report, taken from the Pittsburgh Mercury of Thursday evening, August 27, 1812:
BEAVER COUNTY PATRIOTISM
On Monday last, in consequence of the disastrous intelligence from Detroit of the capture of General Hull's army, a meeting of the inhabi- tants of Beaver County was held and sundry resolutions passed, and committees appointed to procure arms, ammunition, etc. On Tues- day the militia met at Beavertown, and after raising a subscription of nearly $1,000 to defray the cost of purchasing ammunition, etc., about 130 persons volunteered their services to march to Cleveland, O. They divided themselves into two companies and chose the following officers: First company-Captain, Jonathan Coulter; lieutenant, John Lawrence; ensign, Robert Moore. Second company-Captain, James Kennedy; lieutenant, John Smurr, Jr .; ensign, James Louthan.
Among the privates are General Abner Lacock, James Lyon, Thomas Henry, Esq., Samuel Power, Esq., Samuel Johnston, William and John Wilson, Josiah Laird, John R. Shannon, Esq., Major Robert Darragh, Jonathan Mendenhall, John Wolf, James Moore, etc., etc. Both com- panies are composed of the most respectable inhabitants of the county. Each man is at his own expense, armed and equipped for service, and carries in his knapsack ten days' provisions. They start from the vicinity of Beaver this morning, and expect to reach Cleveland in the course of four or five days. The example is worthy of imitation, and may the God of battles go forth with them in our righteous cause and grant them victory and honor.
A fuller contemporary account of this meeting, which was held on August 24, 1812, is found in a private diary
1 There is preserved in a valuable collection of old documents in the Carnegie Library at Pittsburg a handbill which was the gift of Mrs. Abraham Kellar to the Library, one of a number similar to it which were distributed in the city of Pittsburg at the time war was declared with Great Britain. This old circular contains proof of General Lacock's interest and influence; it reads as follows:
"OFFICE OF THE PITTSBURGH GAZETTE, " PITTSBURGH, Thursday Evening, June 25, 1812.
" WAR.
"Extract of a letter from Mr. Lacock to a gentleman in this Town, dated Washington City, June 18, 1812.
"'I embrace the first opportunity to inform you that WAR has this day been declared, and the injunction of secrecy taken off. This measure passed in the House of Representa- tives by a majority of 30, and in Senate 19 to 13. This is an unqualified, unconditional War, by land and sea, against the United Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland.'"
? It will be seen from what follows that the statement on page 285 of the History of Beaver County (A. Warner & Co., Pubs., 1888), that "the first two years of the war did not call out any troops from the county," is an error.
NEGIE LIBRARY TSBURGH
Office of the Pittsburgh Gazette:
PITTSBURGH
Thursday Evening, June 25; 1812.
WAR ..
Extract of a lever from Mr. Lalock to a gentleman in this Town, dated Washington City, WJune 18, 1812.
" I embrace the first opportunity to inform you that WV AR has this day been declared, and the injunction of secrecy taken off. This measure. passed in the House of Representatives by a majority of 30, and in Senate 19 to 13. This is an unqualified.) unconditi- onal .War, by land and sea, against the United King.' doms of Great-Britain and Ireland."
Half-tone Engraving from Original Hand-bill in Possession of Carnegie Library, Pittsburg.
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kept by Captain Stanton Sholes,' who, during the War of 1812, resided in Beaver in a house on Third Street on or near where the Shumaker block now stands. The hand-writ- ing of Captain Sholes is still clear and legible, though over ninety years have passed since he wrote the following minute:
At a general meeting of the inhabitants of the town and borough of Beaver, convened for the purpose of taking into consideration and for determining what proceedings should be taken in consequence of informa- tion received by express of the unfortunate defeat and capture of the army under the command of General Hull, at Detroit, August 24,2 1812, Saml. Lawrence, Esq., was unanimously chosen chairman and Hugh Picknoll, secretary.
On motion of Robert Moore, Esq.
Resolved, That an express be sent to Pittsburgh to procure powder, lead, etc.
Resolved, That notices be sent to the members of the 139th Regi- ment to meet in the borough of Beaver on Tuesday, the 25th inst., at 12 o'clock, and that instructions be given to the several officers of the regiment to bring and cause to be brought with them all the arms in their respective companies and belonging to the regiment or the mem- bers thereof.
A letter from Brigadier-General Bell to the commanders of militias representing the western parts of Pennsylvania, dated New Lisbon, Ohio, August 24, 1812, received by Col. R. Moore by express announcing the defeat of the army under Hull, and the invasion of the American fron- tier by the British and Indians in considerable force and praying aid and reinforcements for the protection of the frontier inhabitants being read :--
Resolved, That every exertion be made to forward volunteers to the assistance of our fellow-citizens on the frontier, and their marching ex- peditiously, so that, if possible, they shall arrive at Youngstown, in the State of Ohio, on or before Saturday, the 29th:
Resolved, That the supplies intended to be furnished shall, as soon as procured, be delivered to Samuel Power, Esq., brigade inspector for the use of the 139th Regiment.
1 Captain Sholes, in May, 1812, received from President Madison a captain's commis- sion in the Second Division United States artillery, with orders to recruit a company of one hundred men for five years. He recruited the company and participated in the cam- paign until its close.
He was also a soldier in the Revolutionary War, having run away from his home in Connecticut, when a boy, to enlist in that war. He was the grandfather of Captain Henry H. Sholes, who died in Rochester, Pa., in the fall of 1898. Leaving Beaver, he moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he died at an advanced age, being buried in that city.
2 The date here is evidently confused with that of Brig .- Gen. Bell's letter, mentioned above. It should be August 16th.
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History of Beaver County
Resolved, That these proceedings be published in the Western Cabinet and signed by the chairman and secretary.
S. LAWRENCE, Chairman, H. PICKNOLL, Secretary. I
Immediately following the above entry appears this record:
BEAVER VOLUNTEERS.
27th of August, 1812.
In consequence of notices sent to the members of the 139th Regi- ment, announcing the above alarming and distressing intelligence they assembled in order to render assistance to their fellow-citizens on the frontier by a voluntary offer of their services. On this occasion all were unanimous. Party distinctions were absorbed in the love of country.
After a few observations made by Col. Robert Moore volunteering commenced, about 66 brave citizens stepped out of the first battalion. and about 50 out of the second - firmly resolved to conquer or die. A more brave and determined lot of men never trod the tented field. They are indiscriminately composed of lawyers, doctors, merchants, farmers and mechanics. One half of the men able to bear arms in this town have turned out. Yesterday they were busily engaged in preparing all the necessary equipage, in which the ladies performed a very conspicuous and patriotic part in making clothes, knapsacks, etc. Today they march to join General Wadsworth, at Cleveland.
May glorious victory attend them.
This, though on a small scale, is a creditable instance of rapid mobilization, and one not surpassed or even equaled any- where outside of this county at that time; scarcely equaled during the greater struggle of the Civil War. Here were two companies, respectively of sixty-six and fifty men, arming and equipping themselves at their own expense, with no prospect of "bounty," and on the march in two days, and starting from Beaver on the morning of Thursday, August 27, 1812, passing through Darlington and Petersburg, they were in Youngstown, Ohio, on Saturday, August 29th. The famous "Pittsburg Blues," under Captain James Butler, destined for the same services as the Beaver companies, did not leave Pittsburg until September 20th, and reached Beaver in boats, September 24th,
1 Colonel Robert Moore, to whom the letter referred to above was sent by General Bell, was the grandfather of A. S. and W. S. Moore, Esqs., attorneys of Beaver, the former A. S. Moore, now U. S. Dist. Judge, 2d Div. of Alaska, at Nome; also of F. H. Agnew, Esq.
Samuel Power, the brigade inspector, to whom were to be turned over the supplies, was the father of the late Gen. T. J. Power, of Rochester, Pa.
The Samuel Lawrence who presided at the meeting was Beaver County's second pro- thonotary, and the grandfather of the late Hon. A. J. Lawrence of Beaver.
Hugh Picknoll was a property owner in Beaver, a member of the bar and a man of sterling worth. In the outlots of the town of Beaver, west of Beaver and Spring Lane, Nos. 115 and 116, were patented to Hugh Picknoll. These outlots are near Vanport.
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and passed on down the river. Captain Markle's troop of cavalry from Westmoreland County left Pittsburg, September 22d, and passed through Beaver County on their way to Urbana, Ohio.
The enlistment of Beaver County soldiers in the War of 1812 was made at different times and dates. In January, 1814, there were eight companies formed in this county, consisting of 587 officers and men. These companies were commanded respect- ively by Captains David Knowles, David Clark, Wilson Caldoo, Robert Leiper, William Calhoun, Thomas Henry, Armstrong Drennan, and Robert Imbrie, and the troops were embodied into two regiments, the 138th Pennsylvania Militia, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Miller, and the 26th Pennsylvania Regiment. The companies of Captains Imbrie and Drennan composed the First Battalion of the 26th Regiment, and were commanded by Major Andrew Jenkins of North Beaver town- ship. All these companies marched by way of Meadville and served a tour of duty at Erie during the months of January, February, and March of the very severe winter of 1814.1
1 Captain Robert Beer, a soldier of the War of 1812, is quoted in Judge Parke's Historical Gleanings of Allegheny (p. 38) as saying of his trip, in the winter of 1812-13, from Allegheny City to Upper Sandusky, Ohio: "To guard the teams and property, we had Capt. Johnson and his company from Greersburg, now called Darlington, and half a company from Beaver County, under the command of Lieut. Walker, who was subsequently killed by the Indians."
Greersburg must have been a very patriotic village, when boys of fifteen ran off to the war. The following advertisement, which appeared in the Pittsburgh Gazette of July 6, 1814, is self-explanatory:
" FIVE DOLLARS REWARD.
" It was the twenty third day of May My boy JOHN WITHROW ran away. He's stout and sturdy I'll engage, And about fifteen years of age; He is about a middle size; His hair is fair, and has blue eyes; His feet are large, his shoes are old, And has but lately been half soal'd; His shirt is old seven hundred linen,
And is made of this country spinning:
His outside jacket color yellow, But has been much worn by the fellow; An under-jacket home-made cotton,
A linsey one with pewter buttons; His hat is black and made of wool, Which serves right well to thatch his skull.
His going I believe to be Through council of bad company.
He went to Pittsburgh to engage To be a soldier on the stage Of war, which he had best not try, Because he will both steal and lie: And was encouraged to his hurt To do these things rather than work. A fife he took, which he can blow,
But how to play he does not know. Whoever brings him home again I'll give FIVE DOLLARS for his pain. SAMUEL CAUGHEY.
"GREERSBURG, BEAVER COUNTY."
VOL. I .- 31
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History of Beaver County
ROSTER OF TROOPS IN THE WAR OF 1812 1
Captain David Knowles's company, 138th Regiment, Penn- sylvania Militia, commanded by Lieut .- Col. Robert Miller, under order of Major-General Mead, dated January 1, 1814, service commencing January 12th and ending February 22, 1814: Cap- tain, David Knowles; lieutenant, James Withrow; ensign, William Cannon; sergeants, William Hunter, Alexander John- son, Samuel Cross, Samuel Blackmore; corporals, George Crowe, Ethan Thomas, Joseph Wilson, David Anderson; privates:
Anderson, David
Graham, Hugh
McCague, Daniel
Anderson, James
Grosscost, David
McGuffee, Andrew
Blackmore, Samuel
Gurrol, James
Moore, William
Brittain, Jeremiah
Hamilton, James
Martin, John
Bevington, Samuel
Henry, James
Phezzle, George
Cline, John
Hull, Gairham
Porter, David
Cline, Joseph
Johnson, John
Pumphrey, William
Cannon, William
Johnson, James
Reed, Samuel
Calvin, Robert
Johnson, Alexander
Ramsey, David
Crowl, George
Johnson, Fergus
Rayl, William
Cross, Samuel
Kennedy, Thomas
Sheerer, William
Cunningham, James
Lowry, Hugh
Stratton, Daniel
Crowe, Henry
Louthan, George
Seabrook, Archibald
Cotton, James
Louthan, Moses
Smith, Jesse
Donald, Stacy
Moore, Thomas
Thompson, Thomas
Dearinger, Joseph
McConnel, John
Wilson, Joseph
Dickson, John
Mier, George
Wilson, James
Eakin, William
Mitchell, Hugh
Wolf, John
Gibson, Samuel
Martin, William
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